The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-04-16

""s A N~sNASNNtOu"s
ments and culture Miss Minnie Dexter
was by no means inferior to himself.
He generously admitted this fact.
mentally. and involuntarily he testified
to it by certain well-rcad and correct
ly interpreted indications.
Ten miles yet from Glcnwool the
wheels of the coach sank into a treach-
erous gully, the driver rolled from his
box, and the frantic, struggling horses
attempted to drag the capsized vehicle
on its side up the gulch. 1t is quite
likely that Miss Dexter never exactly
knew how she c~xtricated herself from
the coach, but it is certain that she was
quickly at the heads Of the foaming,
frightened team. and there she held
them till the driver came limping to
her assistance. The stage righted, Mr..
David Tompkins was found with a
white. scared face. and II broken leg.
John Williams helped himself out. but
Dabney for Il few minutes appeared
stunned and helpless. With one of her
fair, white hands gashed with broken
glass and bleeding, Miss Dexter brought
water from II brook near by and revived
him. Then the unfortunate MI. Tomp-
kins was made as comfortable as pos
sible with shawls, rugs. buffalo robes.
and horse blankets, n few repairs eff
fected in the harness, and the party
proceeded on its journey.
At Glenwood a surprise awaited Dab
ney. A town of but one thousand five
hundred inhabitants, it appeared to
him to contain fully fifty thousand, and
all the combined energy of such apop-
ulation condensed in a limited space.
He was told that the next was election
day-the annual spring turning of ras-
Gals out and in. In addition to the po-
litical issues there was also, to be voted
upon, a proposition to bond the coun-
ty in aid of a railway extension to
Glenwood. This complicated the situ-
alton. And besides all this the even
ing Of election day was the date for the
annual school meeting.
''How about securing a room herep"
Paul inquired of the weary, yet visibly
excited hotel clerk.
House full-and most of the guests
also" answered the clerk.
"No kind of accommodation, eh?"
"Well, I'll tell you," explained the
clerk more affably, ''perhaps l over
draw the situation. Times are n little
brisk with us just now, and the Circuit
Court sits next week. Our rooms are
engaged. but | really expect some
of the occupants will kill each other off
morning. If you don't mind
waiting in the bar-room till the shoot
ing begins you shall have the room
vacated by the first corpse"
Dabney smiled fecbly at the clerks
pleasantly. and finally succeeded in
possession OF the key to a COM
paratively good room. Throughout
night the uproar was terrific.
and fist fights occurred with
nonotonous regularity. At eight
o'clock the following morning the ex-
element eliminated in the opening
Of the polls. A discordant brass
band paraded the n principal street,
up and down, followed by shouting
boys, staggering men, tattered BAN
,ers covered with maldlin notices,
md NANCY. yelping ours. Before
noon two men had been shot, one of
hem fatally. Large and cosmopolitan
titles had ever been familiar to Dab
ley. But never before had he wit
lessea political excitement so fierce,
j%artisanship 81 bitter, or human pas
'ions. so tumultuous. Soon after the
Of the polls Il number of the
ucky candidates, accompanied by
assembled in the hotel bar
The orgies of the previous
light were Immediately renewed.
There was no ilattering prospect of
'leep for Dabney.
EITHER Charley Brockden is a mod
I'm Ananias,' he unused, ''or he is
yoefully mistaken about Glenwood.
luict, rural, retired. ch? Local color
ne. indeed! The local coloring APP
'ears to be, principally, red paint.
This rustic village is a pandcmo-
Then his thoughts reverted to Minnie
Where was she? With the
'rrival Of the stage at the hotel she had
n%ysteriously disappeared. With no
immediate prospect of sleep before him.
)abncy determined 10 visit the school
meeting. Here he discovered that the
Usual spirit Of turbulency incident to
he town ruled supreme. There were
We discodant, a%ntagonistic elements,
The ''honest taxpayers were stand
ng around the room in excited groups